Welcome

Welcome to the POZ Community Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people with HIV/AIDS, their friends/family/caregivers, and
others concerned about HIV/AIDS. Click on the links below to browse our various forums; scroll down for a glance at the most recent posts; or join in the
conversation yourself by registering on the left side of this page.

Privacy Warning: Please realize that these forums are open to all, and are fully searchable via Google and other search engines. If you are HIV positive
and disclose this in our forums, then it is almost the same thing as telling the whole world (or at least the World Wide Web). If this concerns you, then do not use a
username or avatar that are self-identifying in any way. We do not allow the deletion of anything you post in these forums, so think before you post.

The information shared in these forums, by moderators and members, is designed to complement, not replace, the relationship between an individual and his/her own
physician.

All members of these forums are, by default, not considered to be licensed medical providers. If otherwise, users must clearly define themselves as such.

Forums members must behave at all times with respect and honesty. Posting guidelines, including time-out and banning policies, have been established by the moderators
of these forums. Click here for “Am I Infected?” posting guidelines. Click here for posting guidelines pertaining to all other POZ community forums.

We ask all forums members to provide references for health/medical/scientific information they provide, when it is not a personal experience being discussed. Please
provide hyperlinks with full URLs or full citations of published works not available via the Internet. Additionally, all forums members must post information which are
true and correct to their knowledge.

Author
Topic: Truvada/Sustiva sleep issues. (Read 8485 times)

Hi ya'll,I am having sleep issues again where falling asleep does not come easy. I am currently on Truvada/Sustiva. Has anyone on this combo used the natural sleep aid Melatonin? If so did you have any issues? I don't see any statements regarding Truvada, Sustiva and Melatonin. I have taken Melatonin before but I was not on meds at the time. I like the fact it does not make me dizzy, fall over sleepy and that it is easier to wake in the mornings than prescription and over the counter sleep aids. Any suggestions?AppleBoy

Logged

If you are walking down the street and your pants drop to your ankles bend over pick them up and keep on walking!My Blog

I have taken melatonin before, but like yourself, it was before I had started on meds. I am not sure if melatonin may have interactions with the HIV medications.

I work the graveyard shift, so melatonin came in very useful for me, the first few months after beginning that shift. It worked very well also. And fortunately, I have no sleep issues at this point in time.

I was on Truvada/ Sustiva for several weeks and had the same problems sleeping. I got a prescription for Ambien CR which helped a little but didn't resolve the issue. I eventually switched to Viramune and I have no problem sleeping anymore (without Ambien).

I have done Viramune before too. Sustiva is working well I just have a lot more energy making sleep harder. I can deal with waking up in the morning so into whatever dream that it takes me a couple minutes to get my bearings. Thanks for the postsAppleBoy

Logged

If you are walking down the street and your pants drop to your ankles bend over pick them up and keep on walking!My Blog

Having problem sleeping, not sure I went to sleep last night or the night before. I close my eyes and feel like I am aware of everything around me. I toss and turn all night.... feel like I'm in sometype of twilight sleep. I very nervous about going to work and a doctor appointment this morning...may fall asleep.....and not wake up...

Strangest damn thing, I AM NOT SURE I WENT TO SLEEP.... just hoping it wont catch up with me while at work. When taking med sometime I find it hard to take my meds on an empty stomach. Especially if I eat late.... Someone tell me I am not tripping out here and that it all in the mind... maybe this is my first side effect..... up and out of here.... and SCARED that sleep will catch up with me.... somewhere today... max

Tonight before going to bed...

headed to bed in a minute. Took one Tyenol PM and not two... Just hope I can fall asleep... I hope this past ...first real side effect... I think...

Logged

Go with it and KEEP MOVIN! Life is good today and I am glad to be here

Yes that could be a possible side effect. I do go to sleep with effort but wake up like I was never asleep. Usually if it catches up with me I just call in sick and go back to bed then I am good till it hits me again. I have been trying the Melatonin and so far it seems to be helping. I wake up in less of a fog. Now, I have noticed to that if I take my Sustiva and Truvada at 10 pm and no later than 10:30 pm I will wake up a lot eaiser and less foggy. Now, I also try to eat 2 hrs before I take my Sustiva and Truvada and that helps a lot too. I am fine with small snacks like some ceral, oatmeal, or grits which a generally low fat before taking it. I find taking meds requires some life changes but not to the point it is consuming my life and if it makes me live longer I am all for it. AppleBoy

Logged

If you are walking down the street and your pants drop to your ankles bend over pick them up and keep on walking!My Blog

Thanks, I decided that bye eating a heavier meal at lunch and medium at dinner to see if I can balance it. As for the sleeping it getting better,took a tylenol PM last night... not sure what it did to me.

Having problem on my job with taking more vacation and sick time than I had. I been given a warning that my job is in jeopardy. Kinda stress out about that... hopefully, it wont bother me.

Thanks for the advice on what a good time to eat and take meds.... I love this site because we learn more by sharing and experimenting to make things work... Just AWESOME!!!!!

Thanks! Everyone..

« Last Edit: July 20, 2006, 02:25:55 AM by OakMax1 »

Logged

Go with it and KEEP MOVIN! Life is good today and I am glad to be here

poznoregon

I have been taking melatonin for years before meds and while on meds, I take it when I take sustiva in the evening and it works great for me. I take the 3 mg dose. I also sleep very well and fall asleep pretty quickly.

I'm taking Truvada and I have notice that I have the same re-occurring dream for a few days and when I hit a certain spot in the dream that I am supposed to "fix" I wake up in a pool of sweat, shaking like a leaf. This has happened 6 days in a row.

I know that Sustiva and Truvada are the "preferred" treatment plan - Just let me vent on this one - The scientist who developed Sustiva was on a misson to make everyone experience an acid trip!!! I suffered for seven months with sleep deprivation and wild vivid dreams that NEVER stopped - a change to Viramune with Truvada and all is well. Not even the usual flushing and skin sensitivity. Plus undetectable now for the last 9 months.

Also, friends on Sustiva have told me that there secret is to take their meds with a fatty meal by 6 pm. That way the side effects of nervousness won;t affect their work. And the restless cycle is passed by 11 pm and then they can sleep. This didn't help me - but several people have recommended this.

I get home from a long day usually around 9:30 and then eat dinner, so I take my Sustiva right before I go to sleep. That sometimes gives me at least a window of around 30 minutes or so to try to get to sleep. I use melatonin and GABA together every night ... taking it about 30 minutes before I get into bed. It helps a lot, but I still have problems with sleep. After over 3 years of Sustiva, I still have rough sleep nights... sometimes tortured with dreams that make me sometimes feel like I've been awake all night. I've tried sleep aids and I hate them... especially the over the counter ones... they REALLY leave me with a nasty hang over, but they so seem to work. Ambien works, but leaves me with a hangover. Lunesta requires a double dose and is extremely habit forming and still doesn't work well. Rozerem just doesn't work well, even with a double dose. I've found some other things that help are antiinflamatory drugs. I sometimes take 600mg ibupropen and that helps me sleep. Also, I sometimes take an antibiotic (minocycline) that has been shown to interfere with HIV in the brain. It also makes me drowsy (a documented side effect). It works quite well and leaves me with only a medicinal taste in the morning. Also, Zanax seems to work and leaves me with no hangover. I've thought about trying valium.My latest quest is to try GHB and/or seconal. GHB is now an FDA approved drugs for nacoleptics marketed under the name XYREM. Unfortunately, it's strictly controlled. I've read GHB is a phenomenal sleep aid. I've never tried it, so I don't know. Also, in my opinion, old fashioned barbituates make thecurrent crop of sleep aids look like cheap street drugs. Barbituates are really effective and can induce deep sleep and clear the body relatively quickly. Unfortunately, they are really hard to get. Some drug co.'s have given up making them because they can't get docs to prescribe them anymore.

I totally can see eye to eye with OakMax1. His experience with Truvada/Sustiva pretty much copy my own. I hated it!! Thanks for sharing OakMax1, it hard to say if the drugs have their own specific side effect or it also depends on your body chemistry.

My Sustiva this time around was not nearly as bad as the first time I took it almost a year ago. I assume my body was somewhat adjusted when I took it again this time. I have been doing ok with the melatonin I take 4 if I am feel like I am not going to go to sleep. Acutally of a recent I have not taken any. My body even wakes me up about the same time every day meaning I finally got a cycle going. Thanks for all your posts!AppleBoy

Logged

If you are walking down the street and your pants drop to your ankles bend over pick them up and keep on walking!My Blog

I take sustiva/truvada and find that falling asleep is not a problem...staying asleep is. Since starting the meds, I seem to wake up every hour, even if only for a couple of minutes.

What I find helpful is a low dose of ativan. I started taking it before the HIV meds because I had ocassional insomnia. I was sceptical about taking any kind of sleeping pills because of that groggy morning feeling. However, this cause me to gently fall asleep, sleep thorugh the night and wake up the next morning feeling fine. It doesn't give you that sudden drop over, dead asleep feling. It's more of a gradual relaxation.